


A Special Day in Hanover

by hannahcalifornia



Series: Dalton Big Bang 2020 [3]
Category: Dalton Academy Series
Genre: Dalton Big Bang 2020, Gen, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24513745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannahcalifornia/pseuds/hannahcalifornia
Summary: Merril Portman is initiated into Hanover house and Spencer has a surprise for her.
Relationships: Merril Portman/Spencer Willis
Series: Dalton Big Bang 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1771465
Kudos: 4





	A Special Day in Hanover

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3 of Dalton Big Bang 2020: Hanover.

As per usual, at 9:30pm on Sunday Hanover house gathered on the floor of the first floor common room. Forks in hand, minds ready to discuss any matters their wise leader Avery Brigham felt fit, the boys shuffled in and took their seats as Hanover boys do - with great, dignified ease. Today was different than every other Sunday Hanover meeting because today, for the first time, a girl was in their midst. Specifically, a very special young lady who went by the name of Merrill Portman. This was her initiation, of a sort...the Hanover initiation: the great reveal of the secrets and trust that held The House together for so many generations.

“Settle, please. Take a seat. Each of you, come in. So, as you have probably guessed today we are celebrating welcoming our newest member to Hanover house. Most of you have met her and heard her story, but consider today the official celebration.” Avery spoke with such conviction, as a strong father or nurturing executive might do. 

Sitting to the right of Avery was Justin “the Bamf” Bancroft. His legs were crossed in loose sweats, his eyes focused warmly at the new kid. Justin then shifted his eyes to the rest of the crowd. He made a mentally note of all the attendees. There were suppose to be 28 in the dorm, adding on Merrill, but he kept counting one fewer. After a few seconds of concentration, he realized: Spencer Willis wasn’t there.

One does not skip a Sunday meeting. Live in Hanover, you make it. Even if you are ill, even if you have a term paper you haven’t started, even if you have tickets to the best concert East of the Mississippi, you make it. Justin knew Spencer, as he knew many of the Hanovers, intimately. And he just didn’t seem like the guy to bail. Not on something Hanover, especially not as something as traditional as an initiation.

“Merrill, if you don’t mind, we are going to read you a few words from our Hanover booklet that have been passed on for quite a while. Then, in a newer tradition...well, we’ll bring out some cake with yellow and white icing and you’ll get to cut it the first piece,” Avery said.

“Okay,” Merrill replied. She sat tentatively but rather gracefully at the other side of the room, smiling a bit at her fellow dorm mates. It was a relief to be here. She got dressed in the mornings, ate breakfast with guys, went to classes - which she got a grip on astonishingly quickly for a transfer- and she joined clubs for the afternoons. She felt like she didn’t have to constantly worry for once. Sitting in this room, she got to smile without feeling like she was making any sort of statement.

Avery began reading from the Hanover booklet. “A Hanover student is allowed his - or her - own story. She is not expected to come to Dalton with a set path to success, or without flaws, though success is surely in her future. Here we leave behind the past because the present and future is worth more. Here we follow through with our lives as a family. Here in Hanover we treat each other like brother - and sister - because a strong support is all a Hanover needs to do what such a Hanover is meant to.”

That’s about when it happened. Spencer Willis, in a dirty t-shirt and grass stained shorts sped into the room. He was wheeling with him a fifteen foot-high wedding cake, alternating yellow and white. He looked exhausted. But the cake and his little sweet smile sent a brilliant blast of energy into the room.

“Sorry,” he gasped between breathes. “But I just thought our normal fun-fetti cake just wouldn’t be proper you know for a...lady and I--”

Most of Hanover was staring, mostly because the cake looked really delicious. Merrill was tearing up again. Because she couldn’t believe that someone would do this, for her, especially considering that they really have all done too much.

“Alrighty, then. It’s time to cut the cake!”

Merrill, still a bit shocked by the enormity of that thing (and making a mental note to really teach these boys a thing or two about nutrition) took the cake cutter and confidentially cut the first piece, daintily chewing the first bite and giving a thumbs up to all. Clapping ensued. Lots of clapping, and hugging. And “wait to go Merrill!” and “Spence, thanks for the cake man!” 

Justin held Spencer by the shoulder “don’t be late to a meeting, again. Don’t do crazy bullocks without running it by Avery or me - you are not a Windsor. But, good job. You totally made this 40% more memorable.”

“Yes. I’m sorry, I just - had to do something. She deserves it, you know?”

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to CP Coulter. See Big Bang Schedule at https://daltonficbigbang.tumblr.com/schedule.


End file.
